Monthly Archives: November 2011

November 30, 2011 · 1:45 pm

Late Score Gets Hamilton-Wenham Past Newburyport 7-0 in Division 3A Football Semifinals

Trevor Lyons (12) beats Evan Habib (8) and later Jared Bradbury (11) for game winner in last minute.

Luke Wendt (11) blocks Connor Wile pass attempt in first period near goal line.

(Andover)  Newburyport (9-3) squandered a chance to put points on the board early and the rest of the game couldn’t even get into Hamilton-Wenham territory at Andover High School on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, the Generals (11-0) kept things very interesting by failing to capitalize on several chances of their own before getting the game-winner with only 32 seconds left.

HW’s 7-0 win, in the Division 3A semifinals, puts them into the Super Bowl against Bourne (12-0) at noon on Saturday at Manning Field in Lynn.

Both teams in the Super Bowl game are undefeated.

This game had enough suspense for even the strongest of hearts.  Games that go scoreless for 39 ½ minutes out of 40 minutes will do that to you!

The five-yard, game winner, by quarterback Trevor Lyons, was at the conclusion of a ten-play, five-minute drive that started at the Newburyport 40.  The HW advance toward the end zone and the winding down of the clock in a scoreless tie, created edge-of-the-seat drama.

Two memorable plays got HW into the Clipper end zone:

Elliott Burr (22) breaks free with a screen pass for 29 yards setting up the HW touchdown late in the game.

(1) On 3rd-and-15 from the N34, the Generals victimized Newburyport with a perfectly executed screen pass.  QB Lyons sold the play and as the Clippers poured in on him he flipped a short pass to Elliott Burr in the middle.  Elliott not only got the first down but reached the Clipper 5 with two minutes left.

(2) After trying to get Elliott Burr in on the left (twice), the Generals set up as if they would try it a third time.  However, instead, Trevor Lyons rolled right, beat the corner (Evan Habib), and jumped into a defender (Jared Bradbury) at the goal line to score with 32 seconds left.  Ironically, Trevor hit that same right corner of the end zone in HW’s 18-6 win at Newburyport on September 23rd.

Paul Kim added the extra point and that’s the summation of the scoring.

Connor Wile passes with Ryan Foringer closing fast on him.

Watching Newburyport unable to do more on offense was startling.  Clipper QB Connor Wile came in with nearly 2000 passing yards and 21 TD passes.  In this game he was just 5-for-16 and 33 yards.  The total Newburyport offense was a meager 76 yards and only 4 first downs.

Credit the HW defense.  Their front four or three were able to put enough pressure on Connor to hurry him up.  This allowed the Generals’ linebackers to drop into short coverage and the secondary to concentrate on the long ball.

The Clippers nearly connected deep, early in the 4th quarter, but Brett Fontaine couldn’t hold on to Connor’s pass.

The Newburyport faithful will recall a major squander by their Clippers in the first period.  Jimmy Conway intercepted a Trevor Lyons pass and Newburyport was golden on the Generals twenty.  Connor Wile converted a third down play with a scramble to the HW 9.  Runs by Connor and Tyler Martin brought the Clippers to the HW2 for third down.  Big defensive play alert – Luke Wendt deflected a pass attempt over the middle and Newburyport was forced to settle for a field goal attempt.  When Brandon Trego’s kick went wide left the squander was complete.

Any points in that possession would have been huge as the game wound scoreless minute after minute until the very end.

While Newburyport was kept out of HW territory the rest of the way the Generals had no such problem.  They just couldn’t finish…….until the very end.

The Generals reached the Clipper 20 twice, had a 68-yard TD run by Trevor Lyons called back on a penalty, and had a TD pass dropped (Matt Putur) in the Clipper end zone just before halftime.  HW racked up 198 yards and 9 first downs.

Brett Fontaine (10) intercepts pass intended for Matt Putur (21) in 4th quarter.

Hamilton-Wenham also had two interceptions.  The second one, in the final quarter, would have been one that the HW would have been lamenting forever if they had lost.  The Generals reached the Clipper 20 with seven minutes left in a scoreless game.  On 4th-and-14, they decided to have runner Elliott Burr throw a pass.  Bad idea alert – Brett Fontaine took in the floater intended for Matt Putur and the Clippers were still alive.

But on this day, the HW’s inability to finish was offset by their terrific defense, and only one score was needed.  Undefeated Bourne may require more HW points on the board in the Super Bowl game.

The sky was overcast with a little drizzle before the game.  The temps were in the 50’s.  Was it really November 29th?

Great turf field at Andover.  Lighting was spectacular.  The track, however, kept fans a bit distant from the action.

Good crowd on both sides.  HW band impressed me.

This is the best season HW has had in its 52 football seasons.  Wouldn’t a Super Bowl championship be the frosting on the cake!

(I collect my own information and take my own pictures.  I apologize for any mistakes in advance.)

The pictures enlarge to normal size if you click on them.

Trevor Lyons

HW coach Andrew Morency after touchdown

Connor Wile (12) scrambes away from Luke Wendt (11)

Elliott Burr (22) uses Taylor Drinkwater (55) block.

Brett Fontaine open deep in second half.

Trevor Lyons (12) tackled by Colton Fontaine (7)

Trevor Lyons fair catch

68 yard Trevor Lyons run on first play……called back.

Kevin Anthony (58) Elliott Burr (22) Shane Jenkins (57)

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November 25, 2011 · 11:42 pm

Western Connecticut State Defeats Richard Stockton 69-63 in Hampton Inn Basketball Classic

Kevin Johnson (1) defended by DaQuan Brooks (23).

(Danbury) Western Connecticut State University defeated Richard Stockton College, 69-63, in the first game of the Hampton Inn Classic on Friday night at Feldman Arena.

DaQuan Brooks (23) goes in for two of his twenty second-half points.

Senior DaQuan Brooks was the difference-maker for the Colonials of the Little East Conference down the stretch.

The visitors from the NJAC (New Jersey Athletic Conference) trailed by as many as thirteen points (50-37) in the second half but closed the gap to, 58-57, with 4:11 to play.  Enter DaQuan.  The talented 5-10 guard scored every point for WCSU the rest of the way.  He also had a block and a rebound.  Very impressive.

Stockton (1-4), despite traveling from Galloway (NJ) for the game, had the early lead (14-4) before the Colonials rode a couple of Ryan Pelletier 3’s to gain a, 24-21, advantage with 6:45 until halftime. The Colonials led, 34-31 at the half.

Sophomore guard Kevin Johnson put up ten points in the Ospreys, 20-8, surge in the second half that brought them within one point.

DaQuan (29 points) and Kevin (21 points) guarded each other throughout the game.  I sensed that the game within the game was their head-to-head matchup.  Both could get to the basket in a hurry and finish before any shot blockers arrived.

Bill McDonough (0) gets one of his nine rebounds.

Kevin had seventeen points in the second half and three steals in the game.  DaQuan had twenty points in the second half with six assists for the game.  Talented twosome!

The Colonials (3-1) will face Johnson & Wales on Sunday at home at 1PM.  The Ospreys get J&W tomorrow at the Feldman Arena at 1PM.

DiAndre Brown (15 points) had eleven of them in the first half.  The Colonials did a lot better job of denying him the ball in the second half.

DiAndre Brown and Bill McDonough each had nine rebounds for the Ospreys.  Mark Redding and Luis Bridtter did the same for the Colonials.

The best physical matchup had 6-7 Bill McDonough going against 6-7 Gary Robinson.  Gary’s defense had a lot to do with Bill’s 2-for-9 shooting for the game.

In a game played the day after Thanksgiving you’d expect some post-turkey effects but nothing was obvious.

Luis Bridtter (1) defends DiAndre Brown (3)

Who was Richard Stockton?  He was the first New Jersey delegate to sign the Declaration of Independence.

The Feldman Arena has everything you would want – good lighting, comfortable seating, an excellent floor, and plenty of parking.

My thanks to Colonials SID Scott Ames for supplying me with the stats I’m using for this entry.

The pictures enlarge to normal size if you click on them.

DaQuan Brooks (29 points)

Stockton coach Gerry Matthews & WCSU coach Bob Campbell

DiAndre Brown (15 points)

Mark Redding (12 points)

Gary Robinson

Pat Kelly

Michael Jensen

Salman Yusuff (22) goes for block.

Ryan Pelletier (4) shoots as Western coach Bob Campbell (standing) watches.

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November 23, 2011 · 4:40 pm

Masuk Captures SouthWest Conference Football Title With 46-7 Win Over Newtown

Newtown pregame banner signifies the stakes versus Masuk on Thanksgiving Eve

Shawn Flynn (10) raises the championship trophy.

(Newtown) Masuk 46 – Newtown 7

You expected otherwise?

A couple of previous scores was all it took to make this first-time viewer suspect accurately how this one would go.  First: last year’s score between these two – Masuk 42 Newtown 0.  Second: This season Newtown lost to Pomperaug (16-7) while Masuk romped, 49-3, against the same opponent.  Other considerations were Masuk’s 55 points per game average (tops in Connecticut) and a twenty-two game winning streak for the Panthers.

As it turned out, the only real surprise was the weather.  The forecast of rain was faulty, which turned out to be a blessing, because the game was switched from Masuk to Newtown’s wonderful turf field.

Masuk (10-0) with the win on Thanksgiving Eve captures the SouthWest Conference crown.  It also qualifies for the Division L playoffs starting next Tuesday.

Newtown (8-2) had qualified for the Division LL playoffs even before the Masuk loss.  They won’t be facing schools the size of Masuk in the postseason.

The Newtown defense shut out Masuk for a quarter which was a season first for the Panthers.

Masuk Quarterback Casey Cochran (12) had excellent protection.

I thought that the Panthers believed that their passing attack, led by all-everything quarterback Casey Cochran, would work.  Not on this day.  The Hawks rushed few but flooded the secondary with defenders.  Completions were few for Casey and his team ended up punting four times in the early going.

The rest of the game the Panthers began to rush more and Thomas Milone (2 touchdowns) and game MVP Colin Markus (2 touchdowns) ran wild.

Thomas was the carrier on counters.  On one his first score, the faking of QB Cochran was so good that Thomas went into the end zone practically unnoticed by the Newtown defense.

Colin Markus (32) with last Newtown defender Dan Hebert.

Colin was a Hawk problem from everywhere, as he frequently broke the line of scrimmage and got into the Newtown secondary.  There were way too many instances of him being tackled by safeties.  He also set up the Panther TD just before the half, taking a short pass from Casey Cochran and turning it into a 71-yard gain.

The key play of this game could well have been the Newtown turnover (pick-six) in the second quarter.  Down, 6-0, QB Andrew Tarantino tried a middle screen.  As my picture shows, Panther defender Pat Tripodi had a great look at it.  He intercepted the underthrown pass and was immediately off to the end zone 43 yards away.

Newtown’s shining moment was first possession in the second half. Trailing, 19-0, they put a 16-play, 79-yard drive together to close to 19-7.  Dan Hebert, set up in Wildcat formation, found Julian Dunn wide open in the middle for the score.

The momentum quickly shifted back to Masuk.  They reached pay dirt 1 ½ minutes later and never looked back.

Nate Coleman (11) heads for a “pick six” as Brian Monaco (95) blocks.

Late in the game, Panther defender Nate Coleman had a “pick-six” racing 65 yards.  He got a good block from Brian Monaco to send him on his way.

Masuk’s last score came with seven minutes to go.  The only “worry” thereafter was the 50-point rule (Cochran Rule).  Surely Jack Cochran (Casey’s father) was in the house.

Jack Cochran won eight titles coaching in Connecticut.  He picked up some heavy slack along the way, especially in 2005, when his team won four games by more than fifty points including a 90-0 score over Griswold.  Hence the rule.

Casey Cochran committed to UConn in August after being courted by a number of prominent schools including Boston College.  Casey’s plan is to graduate from Masuk in December and start at UConn in January.

Casey Cochran

Casey was Connecticut’s Gatorade Player of the Year last year and should get that award again after this season.  He holds the Connecticut career records in passing yards, completions, and touchdown passes.

Casey played for his father as a freshman at New London.  When his father was fired, they moved to Monroe where Casey has played, and set records, for the past three seasons.

Masuk is ranked second in Division L behind undefeated Hand of Madison.

Newtown’s Lou Fenaroli set a school record 1,598 rushing yards.  He led the SWC in rushing.

Another key to the Masuk win was the way they contained the Hawk running game.  Lou Fenaroli was only able to get 59 yards in 19 carries.  Denied the balance of a strong running game, the Hawks were forced to pass to get anywhere.  The chant from the Panther side of, “You’re no Casey,” directed Newtown QB Andrew Tarantino, was accurate.

Newtown’s turf field was terrific.  The stadium was packed on a very brisk evening.  The lighting on the field was about as good as it gets.

(I take ownership for any “fumbles” in this blog entry.)  Pictures will enlarge if you click on them.

Andrew Tarantino (4)

Masuk coach John Murphy

Colin Markus

Thomas Milone

Lou Fenaroli (44) follows blocker Dan Hebert (7)

Pat Tripodi (30) with second quarter “pick six.”

Thomas Milone (22) with blocker Eric Tucker (66)

Masuk defenders break up pass.

Julian Dunn (15) scores the Newtown touchdown

Thomas Milone (22) falls into the end zone on Andrew Cebry (14) as Nick Plescia (58) watches.

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November 21, 2011 · 6:33 pm

Some Questions for Congressman John Tierney about Patrice and the IBEW protest in Newburyport against Anna Jaques Hospital

A union (IBEW), generously supportive of Congressman Tierney, continues to protest in Market Square in Newburyport months after losing on a bidded job at Anna Jaques Hospital.

Dear Congressman John Tierney,

Congressman John Tierney

I have two “paying attention” questions for you:

(1) Am I to believe that you weren’t paying attention when your wife Patrice managed a $10 million bank account of laundered gambling money for seven years from your home?

(2) Are you paying attention to the representatives of the IBEW who are still protesting daily in Market Square in Newburyport?

John, regarding the first question, you’ve been married nearly fifteen years.  You learned early on that Patrice’s family was in trouble with the law.

Don’t tell me that the indictment of her two brothers on 442 counts, including racketeering and money laundering, didn’t stir some concern.

Don’t tell me that her management for seven years of a $10 million account for them wasn’t worthy of additional concern.

You claim that you paid no attention to what your wife did.  How many husbands out there would have done the same thing?  Maybe for seven days but not seven years!

I say you were paying attention to what your wife was doing.  I also say that you chose, for political reasons, not to pay the type of attention almost every other husband would have paid to a wife of 14+ years.  You could have insisted she stop. Certainly as a lawyer, you knew the possible criminal implications of her activities.

My second paying-attention question for you relates to those protesters persisting in Market Square here in Newburyport.  They have a right to be there but what is their point, months later, beyond trying to disparage Anna Jaques Hospital endlessly for turning them down.

When I see those protesters, I know that they represent the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).  That union is very powerful and politically involved.  They are 9th nationally in campaign donations ($34,445,372.00) from 1989-2011.  97% of their donations have gone to Democrat candidates.  You know the last part, John, because they’ve been funding you generously since 1996.

Support for Anna Jaques Hospital is seen all over Newburyport.

The IBEW doesn’t have one supporter in Newburyport willing to step up and admit it.  Visual support for AJH is everywhere.  Many stores, lawns, and cars display evidence that the good guys are the hospital while indirectly revealing with the signs their dislike for the IBEW union.

A rally was held this summer in Newburyport to support AJH.  I’m told that you were invited but chose not to come.  How did you make that choice?

You receive significant financing from the IBEW, and might have been someone that union might listen to on our behalf.  Is their money keeping you from having an active role in opposition to their Newburyport activities?

There still are many potential voters who have not yet made the connection between you and the IBEW.  If they do, I guarantee that they will support AJH before you.  The two are incompatible to anyone paying attention.

I suspect that you are fully informed of what the IBEW has been doing in Newburyport.  I am sure that many residents have attempted to contact you to get you to do something.

These potential voters want you to step up against the IBEW in word and deed.  They want you to tell the union that you disapprove of their continued presence and are willing to accept the consequences because you represent us rather than the IBEW.

I doubt you’ll do this because I think that you’re paying more attention to the potential disaster it would be for you to stand up to the IBEW.  That union didn’t get their way with AJH and look at the nuisance they’ve become.  What would happen to you, and the heavy support they usually give you,  if you got on their wrong side?

My conclusion is that your attention span is politically-motivated.  It certainly should cost you votes in Newburyport if enough folks make the connection between your support from the IBEW and your refusal to speak/act against them in their feud with AJH.

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November 12, 2011 · 10:34 pm

Governor’s Academy Routs Belmont Hill School 41-14 in Football to Finish Regular Season Undefeated

Undefeated Governors Academy celebrates win over Belmont Hill School.

First-year coach Jim OLeary with Tate Jozokos

(Byfield) Junior Tate Jozokos scored three touchdowns and passed for another as Governor’s Academy finished their ISL regular season unbeaten with a 41-14 rout over previously unbeaten Belmont Hill on Saturday afternoon.

The Seniors Day crowd had plenty to cheer about as their Govs dominated both sides of the ball.

The only Gov blemishes were a secondary lapse late in the first half that gave the Hillies their first TD, and late-game action, involving reserves, that produced the visitors second score.  Beyond that, the Govs were very impressive.

Their running game was geared inside behind the running of junior Eli Morrissey (127 yards – 2 TDs).  At 5’8”-175, Eli did a pretty good imitation of the Patriots Danny Woodhead in a sea of much larger linemen.

Eli Morrissey (2 TDs) gets blocks from Peter Hines (53) and John Dresser (55).

Belmont Hill entered the game allowing just 6.3 points per game.  Those stats blew up in this one as Govs wore them down with their ground game and were never once denied in the red zone.

The Govs second score, early in the second period (10:53), showed how much trouble the Hillies defense was in.  Down 7-0, BH closed in to stop the run and left their secondary in man-to-man coverage.  Tate faked to Eli and gained plenty of time to find 6’5” Frank Barba flying down the middle of the field with defender 5’9” Alfredo Barros in coverage.  A well-thrown pass and Frank was in for a 41-yard touchdown.

Tate Jozokos finishes the regular season with thirteen touchdowns rushing and ten passing in an undefeated eight-game schedule.  Does the ISL have an MVP??

And the season isn’t over.  The Govs will play again next weekend in one of the NESCAP bowl games.

The Hillies (7-1) may also make one of those bowl games as well.  It would be a fitting end for retiring BH coach Kevin Fleming.  He has already led teams to eight bowl games in his 20+ years of coaching.

The Govs were 4-4 last season.  This is their first ISL title since 2004.

Frank Barba (88) gets past Alfredo Barros (13) for 2nd quarter TD.

Governor’s Academy involved Sammy Davis in some offensive trickery and let’s just say that there’s some work to be done.  One was on an extra points attempt (handoff problem) and the other a second pass attempt after catching a pass (thrown out-of-bounds).

GA did run a very effective end around to Frank Barba for a two-point conversion in the third period.

The Govs led, 19-7, at halftime.  They put up three more scores in 1 ½ periods in the second half for a, 41-7, advantage and allowed reserves to finish off the afternoon.

I was impressed with the discipline of the Governor’s offense.  Tate would get a play from Coach O’Leary and take it to the huddle.  The team would come to the line of scrimmage and wait in formation.  Then Coach O’Leary would tell Tate to change the play or tell him to go ahead with the play already called.  It was obvious that the GA coach was reading the defense when he kept a play or changed it.  While this was going on, the offense didn’t false start which was impressive to me.

(I collect my own information and take my own pictures.  I own any mistakes.)  Clicking on pictures enlarges them.

Kirk Ryder (4)

Frank Barba heads for extra points

Lucas Bombardier (28)

Bug Carper (8)

BH quarterback Conor Murphy

Eli Morrissey

BH coach Kevin Fleming

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November 11, 2011 · 7:52 pm

Chip Sherman’s Penalty Kick in 2nd Overtime Sends Masconomet Past Medford in Division 1 North Semi-Finals Boys Soccer

(Lynn) It took penalty kicks for Masconomet to get past Acton-Boxborough in the quarter-finals and it took a Chip Sherman penalty kick in the second overtime to oust Medford in the semi-finals on Friday morning at Manning Field in Division 1 North boys soccer.

#6 Masco (15-3-3) will face #16 Billerica (12-5-6) in the D1 North finals at noon back at Manning Field.

Let my pictures and captions take you through what happened two minutes into the second overtime to end the scoreless tie.

Chip Sherman cuts back on defenders Gilbert Simas and Matheus Anastacio and heads for loose ball.

Chip Sherman, with ball on right foot, breaks in on commited goalie Bryan Peguero as the referee gets a clear view of the action.

Chip Sherman (6) shifts ball to left foot as goalie Bryan Peguero trips him.

Chip Sherman sets up for PK as Medford players question the referee.

Chip Sherman (6) moves in on penalty kick.

Masco players rush to their fans with Bryan Peguero down in foreground.

John Dumbuya – Mustang scoring threat

A very important part of the Chieftain victory was the way that Wes Shrewsbury marked John Dumbuya of Medford.  In the Mustangs two wins in the tournament and in games during the Greater Boston League season, the talented senior has gotten past multiple defenders for goals.  In this one, he got loose at the six-minute mark of the first half, dribbled into the middle and struck a shot that may have put a dent in the top crossbar over Masco goalie Derek Grammer’s head.  At that point, I began to figure John for a goal or two before the game ended………but that didn’t happen.  Wes Shrewsbury defended better thereafter, not letting John ever get into a shooting position the rest of the way.

Keeyon Olia of Masco had a golden chance in the first half.  He had lots of net to shoot at from the left.

Medford coach Mike Petrides claimed afterwards that Chip had taken a dive on the OT penalty call and that the referee should have let it go.  However, in my picture the referee has a very good look at the play.  Bryan Peguero was down and out and Chip had shifted the ball to his left foot just about to shoot at an open net.  Bryan had no choice but to take out Chip’s right leg to trip him and at least temporarily prevent the goal.

In the penalty-shots round versus Acton-Boxborough, Chip was the Chieftains’ first shooter.

The Mustangs had many good players.  The thing I noticed especially were their defenders.  They didn’t panic to pressure and used teammates.  On the other end, I was surprised that big threat John Dumbuya wasn’t in the middle of the field more.  He might have lost Wes Shrewsbury in traffic occasionally or at least drawn some direct kicks.  Instead, John camped out on the right wing waiting for the action to come to him making it easier for Wes to deny him the ball.

Derek Grammer (green shirt) first half save

Masco goalie Derek Grammer made several saves in traffic during regulation.

Medford coach Mike Petrides was let go from coaching this past April but was reinstated late in July after significant support from players and parents came forward.

I rode to this 10AM game in rain which didn’t last.  The sun came out during the game and a crosswind persisted throughout toward the spectator’s grandstand.

Manning Field is an excellent spot for tournament soccer.  There is plenty of parking, seats, bathrooms, and pizza.

(I collect my own information and take my own pictures.  I apologize in advance for any errors.)

The pictures in this entry will all enlarge when you click on them.

Jameson Semerzier (4) & Chip Sherman (6)

Keeyon Olia (9) open net chance

Adam Grammer (1) & Masco coach Dave Mitchell (red stripe)

John Dumbuya (11) and Wes Shrewsbury (10)

Tighe VanLenten (11) heads over Erik Baptiste (9)

Derek Grammer

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November 9, 2011 · 8:50 pm

Masconomet Gets By Acton-Boxborough in Penalty Kicks in Division 1 North Boys Soccer

Masconomet goalie Derek Grammer (green shirt) is mobbed after the Chieftain victory.

The referee explains the penalty kick process to A-B goalie Andrew Hoang and MHS goalie Derer Grammer.

(Boxford) It took six rounds of penalty kicks to finally separate Masconomet (14-3-3) from Acton-Boxborough (10-8-2) and a scoreless tie and allow the Chieftains to move on to the Division 1 North semifinals versus Medford on November 11th (Friday) at 10AM.

The Colonials had a 2-1 advantage after three rounds of penalty kicks but Masco goalie Derek Grammer blocked their next three attempts while the Chieftains converted 2-of-3 including the clincher by Justin Clark in Round Six.

Masco fans swarmed the players at game’s end.

Playing on a field with no scoreboard surprised me for such an important game but it turned out that there was no need for a scoreboard.  There were decent looks by both teams in the 100 minutes of soccer that led to the PKs  but the defenses were just too good especially Andrew Hoang in the A-B net.  The most dangerous plays were the corner kicks and the throw-ins.

This is the way the penalty kicks went:
AB           X    G    G    X    X    X
Masco    G    X    X    G    X    G

First Round

Ryan Rose – miss

Chip Sherman – goal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second Round

Ross Schulman – goal

Chad Burke – miss

 

 

 

 

 

 

Third Round

Tommy Wilson – goal

Adam Grammer – miss

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fourth Round

Ethan Raymond – miss

Wes Shrewsbury – goal

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fifth Round

Emir Hankour – miss

Alex Brown – miss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sixth Round

Panyin Otoo – miss

Justin Clark – goal

Justin Clark (18) looks for MHS goalie Derek Grammer after game winner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Penalty kick tidbits: Chad Burke hit the goal post.  Alex Brown took the PK in Round 5 despite being helped off the field earlier.

(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures.  I own any mistakes.)  Clicking on any pictures enlarges them to normal size.

Adam Grammer (1) good look

Charlie Behrens (7) header

Jeff Panella (27) clears from Steve DeLeo (23)

Chip Sherman (6), Andrew Curran (6), Ross Schulman (4)

Derek Grammer keeps ball away from Graham Saunders (8).

Ethan Raymond & Adam Grammer

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November 8, 2011 · 10:23 pm

Newburyport Survives Belmont Rally in Girls Soccer 1-0 to Reach D2 North Semis

NHS goalie Lilly Donovan chases ball to her right that would go off the goal post in the last minute of regulation.

Kerry Johnson (4) heads in the game winner as Liza Twomey gets tangled up with BHS goalie Nina Perrotta.

(Newburyport) A year ago the Belmont Marauders girls soccer team defeated the Newburyport Clippers, 1-0, in the Division 2 North quarter finals at Belmont.

This time around, with a change of locations, it was the Clippers besting the Marauders, 2-1, at Cherry Hill Field in Newburyport on sunny Tuesday afternoon.

The victory gets Newburyport to the D2 North semifinals with Gloucester on Thursday (7:30PM) at Woburn High School.

The Clippers (15-2-3) picked up their two goals in the first half and had to hold on for dear life in the second half as Belmont (10-7-2) came incredibly close to getting all the way back.

The constant pressure Newburyport attackers put on defenders paid off big-time in the last ten minutes of the first half as two direct kicks (by Hannah Martin) turned into goals.

Hannah Martin direct kick bounces over goalie for first Clipper goal.

Maryam Moshrefi drew the penalty that led to Hannah Martin’s direct-kick goal at 30:43.  BHS goalie Nina Perrotta had Clippers coming at her as Hannah’s kick took an astro-turf bounce into the net.

Later, Liza Twomey was taken down by Belmont’s Izzy Goldstein for another goal-resulting direct kick by Hannah Martin.  This time the BHS goalie got tangled up (What is goalie interference?) with Clipper Liza Twomey and a rebound was left that Kerry Johnson put home at 38:00.

That lead looked safe for the longest time in the second half.  Things seemed to change, however, when Maryam Moshrefi inadvertently kicked the BHS goalie in the head.  Belmont coach Paul Graham, who had been riding the far side official a good part of the game, was infuriated by the lack of a call.  His persistence earned him a yellow card at 25:51 of the forty minute second half.

Three minutes later it was the Marauders’ persistence in the offensive end that turned up something good for them – Aly Leahy got called for a hand ball in the box.

Izzy Goldstein (6) finds the right corner with her second half penalty kick.

Izzy Goldstein took the resulting penalty kick and beat NHS goalie Lilly Donovan with a shot just inside the right goalpost.
So with 11 ½ minutes left, Belmont only trailed, 2-1, and they pressed in with numbers every time they had the ball in the Newburyport end.

The, “Remember when,” sequence from this game was in the last minute of regulation as Belmont attacked from the right side.  I was too far away to name one of the Marauder players involved but I did see Emma Teach rip a direct kick toward the Newburyport goal. A rebound resulted close to the goal, and a second shot from in close went past Lilly Donovan off the far goal post and off to the left with twenty-four seconds left.  I saw the final BHS shooter afterwards with her hands on her head in amazement/disappointment that the shot hadn’t gone in.  But it hadn’t and time ran out for Belmont.

Carly Brand heads out a Marauder shot in the first half.

Carly Brand headed out a near-goal in the first half.

Belmont wore shirts with numbers on both sides and their names on the back of the shirt…..a photographer’s delight.  Then there was Pentucket, two days ago, with numbers only on the back.

Ideal weather conditions for November 8th……..temps in the 60’s with hardly a breeze.

(I take my own pictures and write my own commentary.  I own any mistake.)  All the pictures will enlarge if you click on them.

Emma Teach (22) & Aly Leahy (1)

scramble in the Newburyport end in the first half

Izzy Goldstein eyes ball in the air near Clipper goal in the second half

loose ball in the Belmont end in the second half

Maryam Moshrefi inadvertantly kicks the Belmont goalie.

BHS coach Paul Graham gets yellow card.

Charlotte Alexander

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November 7, 2011 · 10:13 pm

Ipswich Out in the D3 North Quarter Finals 3-0 to Lynnfield in Girls Soccer

Alison Johnson (5) sees plenty of daylight and scores the second Lynnfield goal.

Scout Benson (11) defended by Shannon McFayden (3) and Courtney Long.

(Ipswich) Who saw this coming?

The girls soccer rematch in Division 3 North between #4 Ipswich and #12 Lynnfield turned into a rout, 3-0, for the visiting Pioneers in the Division 3 North Quarter Finals on a sunny Monday afternoon at Ipswich High School.

These two teams had played three times in the last year and were unable to get the best of each other in regulation time in any of them.  The first occasion was in the D3 North semis on November 11, 2010 and that tie was eventually broken in the 9th round of penalty kicks by Tiger Bryn Golesworthy.  The next two meetings were this season and ended in 2-2 and 0-0 ties.

Wouldn’t you think they’d still be evenly matched in this game, with Ipswich having a slight advantage at home?  I even checked on the MIAA site on how penalty kicks are arranged in tournament games!

On this day, however, Lynnfield never gave Ipswich a chance.  They scored early in each half and had an All-League goalie (Nareh Sahakian) as the last defender.

Nareh Sahakian deflects a direct kick by Hannah Weagle over the crossbar in the second half.

Nareh’s best save of the day was a deflection of a Hannah Weagle direct kick twenty-six minutes into the second half.

Scout Benson was also a key piece in the Pioneer win.  The CAL hurdles champ, from this past outdoor track season, pressured the Tiger defense with speed on the right wing and had an important foot in both Lynnfield first-half goals.  Ipswich employed man-to-man coverage on her but not effectively.  Scout’s speed put her in a position to get hard shots at the Ipswich goal.  Those hard shots turned up juicy rebounds for teammates Kimmie Duhaime and Alison Johnson that were converted in the decisive first half.

Scout got off the first shot of the game and Kimmie put in the rebound at 1:45.

That first goal had a lot to do with the Lynnfield second goal (16:40) because when Scout again broke down the right wing the Ipswich defense collapsed toward her.  Molly Markos had the near post secured.  Scout’s hard shot, was to Molly’s right and deflected off her hands to Alison Johnson.  Alison had time to stop the ball, turn to face the goal, and get off an uncontested shot to the uncovered left side.

This was not the last time Scout would pressure from the right wing but thereafter the Ipswich defense kept goals from resulting.

Shot by Lauren McCarthy slips past Tiger defenders for the third Pioneer goal.

Another Lynnfield All-Leaguer (Lauren McCarthy) netted the third goal early in the second half.  Kimmy Duhaime forced a left corner kick.  Instead of taking a shot on the corner kick, Allegra Dicesare tapped a pass to Lauren. Her hard shot went quickly past a group of Ipswich defenders in front of the Tiger net.

Lynnfield is now undefeated in their last eight games with seven of them being wins.

Ipswich came into this game undefeated in their last sixteen.

When I talked to IHS coach Nancy Waddell before their game with Newburyport I asked her about the tournament.  She mentioned that you can get tough teams with mediocre records in the early round and she specifically mentioned Weston and Lynnfield.  Sure enough, they both end up in her team’s bracket.  She did get by Weston, which defeated the Tigers in the D3 North finals last year but not Lynnfield.

Scout Benson

Scout Benson was in prep school during the 2010 Lynnfield soccer season.

Good crowd on hand at Welch Stadium on a pleasant weather afternoon.

Next game for Lynnfield will be the Semifinals on November 10th (Thursday) against the Shawsheen/Georgetown winner.  Georgetown beat Lynnfield 4-1 in October.

(I take my own pictures and give my own commentary.  Mistakes can be made.  I own any of them.)  The pictures enlarge to normal size when you click on them.

Kimmy Duhaime

Kimmy Duhaime (4) after LHS goal #2

first half action in Lynnfield end

Lauren McCarthy

Hannah Weagle

LHS coach Mark Vermont

IHS coach Nancy Waddell

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November 6, 2011 · 11:11 pm

Newburyport Gets By Pentucket 2-1 in Girls Soccer to Reach Quarter Finals

Carly Brand (11) heads the ball into the net past Pentucket goalie Sam Bomba.

Leigh McNamara had the Pentucket goal.

(Newburyport) The Newburyport Clippers defeated Pentucket, 2-1, in the First Round of the Division 2 North girls soccer tournament on Sunday afternoon at sunny Cherry Hill Field.

Carly Brand’s head-in on Hannah Martin’s direct kick, three minutes into the second half, proved to be the game winner.

The Clippers (14-2-3) face Belmont (9th seed – 10-4-3) in the Quarter Finals on Tuesday at 2PM back again at Cherry Hill. Belmont played at home last year as the #1 seed and took out the Clippers.

The Sachems (7-7-5) figured to be tired (they had beaten North Reading on the road the day before) and overmatched by Newburyport (the Clippers had defeated them 3-0 in October).  Someone forgot to tell Pentucket about this.

Down 2-0 early in the second half, the Sachems finally got a goal 32:20 into the half as Leigh McNamara was on the scoring end of a pass from Maddy Torissi in close to NHS goalie Lilly McNamara.

Unfortunately, for Pentucket they weren’t able to muster a serious threat thereafter.  They will probably wonder for some time about the disallowed goal (offsides) that was headed in at the twenty-minute mark.  Put that goal on the board with the Leigh McNamara goal and who knows what would have happened down the stretch.

Julia Kipp (2) and Jaycie Triandafilou (19) watch the shot of Liza Twomey go into the net past the PHS goalie.

Liza Twomey notched the Clippers’ first goal thirty-five minutes into the first.  Two things about the Newburyport forwards are that they are fast and persistent.  In this case it was “fast” that did the trick as Liza started about midfield with the ball and raced by the Sachem defenders for an open shot from the right on PHS goalie Sam Bomba.

Newburyport’s second goal featured probably the most dangerous player in the Cape Ann League taking direct kicks – Hannah Martin.  She can hit the ball hard and she’s usually going to have the ball be close to the net.  This time the direct kick came from just up from the corner kick flag to the right of the goal.  Carly broke for the far corner just as the ball was kicked and was in perfect position to head Hannah’s kick past Sam Bomba.

Once Pentucket fell behind they attempted to press the attack.  The Clippers ended up with some excellent scoring opportunities (Kerry Johnson & Jaycie Triandafilou) but defender Sarah Higgins and goalie Sam Bomba denied a third goal.

The weather was in the mid-50s with some wind.  The crowd was sizable although it was hard to tell when the crowd is relegated to one side.

This was only the second time I have been kept away from the goal line.  I probably would have missed Carly’s head-in if I had been located where I wanted to be.

Haley DesRosiers gets a yellow card.

Haley DesRosiers surprised me in the second half by giving Meghan Corbett a two-hander that dropped the Clipper captain to the ground.  Less surprising was the yellow card Haley got and the escort by the official to the sideline.

PHS coach Greg Scruton got in the way of a ball going out of bounds and put on a bit of a juggling show.  I’m told he was quite a player at Gordon College.

(I take my own pictures and collect my own information.  The mistakes are mine.)  Click on any of the pictures to enlarge them to normal size.

Sam Bomba robs Jaycie Triandafilou

Kerry Johnson shot

Sarah Higgins & Liza Twomey

Alex Moore

Carly Brand

NHS cross over

Hannah Martin

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